Commenting on the publication today (Monday 31 March 2014) of a key UN scientific report, which warns of the dire consequences of our continuing failure to tackle climate change, Friends of the Earth’s Executive Director, Andy Atkins said

“We can’t continue to ignore the stark warnings of the catastrophic consequences of climate change on the lives and livelihoods of people across the planet.

“Giant strides are urgently needed to tackle the challenges we face, but all we get is tiny steps, excuses and delays from most of the politicians that are supposed to represent our interests.

“Governments across the world must stand up the oil, gas and coal industries, and take their foot of the fossil fuel accelerator that’s speeding us towards a climate disaster.

“If the UK Government wants to show international leadership it must abandon its short-sighted championing of fracking and oil, and get fully behind energy efficiency and our home-grown renewable power potential instead.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:
1. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment, Working Group 2, published today (Monday 31 March), paints a bleak picture of the impacts of climate change on food production, ecosystems, resources - such as water - and human health.
2. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a UN body tasked with producing five yearly updates of knowledge on the scientific, technical and socio-economic aspects of climate change. It has three scientific working groups each producing and publishing a detailed report.
3. The first group Working Group 1, The Physical Science Basis (WG1) published its report in September 2013. A Friends of the Earth summary of its findings is available here:http://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/ipcc_report_2013.pdf
4. A third IPCC report , WG3 on mitigation is due out on Sunday 13 April 2014. A Friends of the Earth briefing is here: http://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/advance-briefing-ipcc-report-climate-mitigaton-45694.pdf
5. In exclusive interviews for Friends of the Earth leading climate scientist Professor Kevin Anderson suggests carbon pollution from cars and fridges could fall 50-80% within 10 years if governments got tough on manufacturers. And Philippines climate negotiator Yeb Sano says winning the battle against climate change is a battle of hearts and minds given the scale of change required is as great as the industrial revolution: https://www.foe.co.uk/news/latest-climate-science

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